Jessica Teng
Hangtight
UX Research
Hangtight is a mobile app
that empowers people to
efficiently establish meaningful hangouts with friends.
My Role
Research Lead
Timeline
4 Weeks, Aug - Sep 2022
My Deliverables
User Survey Questions, User Interviews, Research Synthesis, Personas, User Journey, Opportunity Suggestions
Tools
Figma, Tableau, Miro, Photoshop, Illustrator, Google Doc
Problem
Coordinating hangouts with friends has become increasingly challenging in today's world. The existing methods of coordination through various channels, such as aligning common interests, choosing meeting locations, and managing complex schedules, have become burdensome and time-consuming.
Context
Hangtight is a startup aiming to simplify the process of scheduling hangouts by placing emphasis on compatibility through shared interests via an app. As the research lead, my primary objective is to investigate the user challenges associated with coordinating hangouts, gain valuable insights, and enhance the overall planning experience.
Design Process
UNDERSTAND
RESEARCH
SYNTHESIZE
SUGGESTIONS
UNDERSTAND
Do people truly need another app to address the challenges of coordinating hangouts?
This was the first question that arose in my mind. Personally, I understand the challenges involved in organizing hangouts, and I found it difficult to envision overcoming the barrier of having to download yet another app just to arrange a simple get-together with friends. Intrigued by the research that informed these assumptions, I meticulously analyzed the initial survey results presented by the stakeholders. Utilizing Tableau for in-depth analysis, several findings surfaced:
76%
use SMS to coordinate hangouts
33%
use social media to improve their social life
Restaurant
is the preferred hangout location for all age groups
However, it is important to note that the initial survey had some limitations:
-
Age-Related Data Gap: One of the limitations was the absence of specific age information from the respondents. This made it challenging to accurately connect user age, occupation, and their specific needs related to hangout coordination.
-
Limited Sample Size and Skewed Demographics: The survey had a relatively small sample size, with only 58 respondents completing it. Additionally, the data was skewed towards the 18-24 age group, potentially resulting in a lack of representation and understanding of the needs and challenges faced by a broader range of users.
-
Lack of Frustration Indicators: The survey results lacked comprehensive data that provided relevant evidence of the frustrations individuals encounter during their hangout coordination experiences.
RESEARCH
User Survey Take Two
To ensure that the Hangtight team accurately identifies the appropriate user pain points and target user group, I collaborated with the founders to create a second survey with the following objectives:
-
Identify demographic groups facing difficulties in coordinating hangouts with friends.
-
Explore current communication and planning methods used for hangouts.
-
Evaluate effectiveness and challenges within current hangout planning methods.
-
Determine if individuals perceive the need for an additional app to address their coordination challenges.
Key Survey Findings
The redesigned survey received over 150 responses, which were analyzed by age, marital status, and employment status. This time, we discovered the following:
What Users Say About SMS
LIKES
-
Fast and easy to use
-
Higher response rate because most contacts use it
-
Searchable conversation history
-
Low pressure, compared to phone calls
-
Delayed response
-
No "read" receipt in SMS
-
Data privacy concerns
-
Long text threads become too overwhelming to read
-
Lacking features to vote for time, places and activities to do
DISLIKES
SYNTHESIZE
Personas
Out of the survey respondents, a total of seven individuals were selected for in-depth user interviews. To make sense of the collected data, we utilized an affinity map technique, allowing us to organize the key points and identify patterns and commonalities among the responses. Through this process, we were able to distill the information into two personas:
Journey Map
In order to better understand the pain points in each phase and discovering opportunities for product ideation, I created the following journey map:
SUGGESTIONS
So, is a hangout coordination app needed?
When it comes to planning hangouts with existing friends, it appears that there is no significant demand for a hangout coordination app. The research findings revealed that people tend to prefer small group hangouts and rely on SMS as their primary means of communication. SMS serves as a universal platform that allows them to quickly connect with their friends. Considering these insights, I presented the following ideas to the Hangtight team as potential solutions to enhance hangout coordination specifically through SMS:
An AI bot integration for SMS that offers the following functions:
-
Ability to take notes and remember key information such as voting times, meeting times and locations
-
Generation of reminders for important hangout details
-
Organization and prioritization of important messages
-
Collection of images and links according to user preferences.
A convenient polling system that can be accessed via a web link without the requirement to set up an account or create a user profile
A Calendly like function via a web link to vote for preferred hangout times
Takeaways
Avoid developing solutions in search of a problem
The research conducted revealed that people do not necessarily require a new app to address their hangout-related challenges when making plans with existing friends. It is essential to avoid investing resources in developing solutions that may not align with the actual needs of the users.
Different connections require different solutions
Based on the findings, it became apparent that the app being designed by the team is better suited for users who are seeking to establish new connections rather than focusing primarily on strengthening existing relationships.